GovWire

The booking centre at Newcastle will arrange all practical tests. Candidates book tests online or by telephone with a credit or debit card. A journal is raised for the days work, which records:

• the examiners name
• location
• examination date

Details of the candidate should include:

• name
• personal reference number (PRN)
• address
• the driving licence number
• the type of test to be conducted

Newcastle will notify the candidate of the appointment. Examiners should ensure that their managers are aware of all commitments at least 12 weeks in advance (for example, annual leave, TOIL, medical appointments) so that these can be sent to Newcastle and recorded on the testing and resource system (TARS).

TARS ensures that:

• no appointment is made for a date that is more than 2 years after the candidate passed the written part (part 1)
• no more than 2 previous attempts at the test have been made during the current 2-year period

Should the examiner become aware that these procedures have not been followed, they should not conduct the test and contact the Registrars team as soon as possible. This would be a very rare situation that would need to be handled sensitively.

Before the time of the appointment the examiner should in the first instance check their iPad via the DES app to confirm location and times of tests booked. Once at the driving test centre (DTC), they should open the iPad and activate the start test button within the DES app.

The iPad provides the following information about the candidate:

• name
• photo
• PRN number
• address
• contact details
• email and mobile number, if provided

Upon meeting the candidate, the examiner should introduce themselves and perform the following checks courteously.

1. Check with the candidate the type of test to be undertaken.

2. Check that they have a photo card licence or a paper type licence and a valid passport. No licence, no test.

3. Ask the candidate to read and complete the insurance declaration on the DES app.

Match the signature on the licence with the insurance declaration and verify the address. s4. Compare the signature on the photocard licence with the signature on the digital test report.

1. Compare the photograph on the photographic identity document against the candidate. If you have concerns that the person in the photograph is not the correct person, you may consider that it is a suspected candidate impersonation. Examiners should follow the guidance on checking candidate identity in the DT1 document library.

Candidates who do not produce the required documentation will be refused a test. Record the terminated test code 20 - No satisfactory ID on the DES app.

In the waiting room, examiners should ask candidates if they would like to have their trainer/mentor or friend with them for the test, test result and end of test debrief. The accompanying person must be at least 16 years of age. The examiner should, where necessary, tactfully explain that the third party must not interfere with, or comment on the test, without giving the impression the third person is not welcome.

If a trainer is known to regularly observe their trainees on test it is not necessary to comment.

Examiners should also record the following on the DES app if relevant:

• the trainers?ORDIT registration
• the trainers?PRN,?if available
• whether?training records?are provided

The combined eyesight, vehicle safety check questions and driving test should take approximately 1 hour. The eyesight test and vehicle safety check questions will normally take no more than a few moments.

A candidate is required to read, in good daylight, a motor vehicle registration mark for the new style number plates at a distance o

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